Russian Revolution and Between the Wars Study Guide

AP European History

People and Terms

Fascism - a form of radical authoritarian nationalism, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible
suppression of opposition and control of industry and commerce
Nazism - totalitarian movement led by Adolf Hitler as head of the Nazi Party in Germany. In its intense
nationalism, mass appeal, and dictatorial rule, Nazism shared many elements with Italian fascism.
Benito Mussolini - an Italian politician and journalist who was the leader of the National Fascist Party
Adolf Hitler - a German politician who was the leader of the Nazi Party, Chancellor of Germany from
1933 to 1945 and Führer of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945.
Vladimir Lenin - a Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He served as head
of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924
Council of People’s Commissars - a government institution formed shortly after the October Revolution
in 1917. Created in the Russian Republic, the council laid foundations in restructuring the country to form
the Soviet Union
Easter Rebellion (Ireland) - On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, a group of Irish nationalists proclaimed
the establishment of the Irish Republic and, along with some 1,600 followers, staged a rebellion against
the British government in Ireland. Unconditional surrender of rebel forces, execution of most leaders,
public opinion turns against the British
Leon Trotsky - communist theorist and agitator, a leader in Russia’s October Revolution in 1917, and
later commissar of foreign affairs and of war in the Soviet Union (1917–24). In the struggle for power
following Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s death, however, Joseph Stalin emerged as victor, while Trotsky was
removed from all positions of power and later exiled (1929)
“Reds” – Bolsheviks - a member of the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Party, which
was renamed the Communist Party after seizing power in the October Revolution of 1917.
“Whites” – Mensheviks - a member of the non-Leninist wing of the Russian Social Democratic Workers'
Party, opposed to the Bolsheviks and defeated by them after the overthrow of the tsar in 1917.
Lateran Accords 1929 - one of the Lateran Pacts of 1929 or Lateran Accords, agreements made in 1929
between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See, settling the "Roman Question". It recognized the Vatican
City State as an independent state, with the Italian government, at the time led by Prime Minister Benito
Mussolini, agreeing to give the Church financial compensation for the loss of the Papal States.
Treaty of Locarno - series of agreements whereby Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, and Italy
mutually guaranteed peace in western Europe
Fourteen Points - a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations in order
to end World War I (Woodrow Wilson)
Collectivization of Agriculture (Soviet Union) - It began during and was part of the first five-year plan.
The policy aimed to consolidate individual landholdings and labour into collective farms: mainly
kolkhozy and sovkhozy.
Five Year Plans - Method of planning economic growth over limited periods, through the use of quotas,
used first in the Soviet Union and later in other socialist states
Kulaks - a peasant in Russia wealthy enough to own a farm and hire labor. Emerging after the
emancipation of serfs in the 19th century, the kulaks resisted Stalin's forced collectivization, but millions
were arrested, exiled, or killed.
“Bread, Land, and Peace” - popular Bolshevik slogan; one of Lenin's promising slogans to the masses
when attempting to convince them to turn to Bolshevism
Dawes Plan - an attempt in 1924 to solve the World War I reparations problem that Germany had to pay,
which had bedevilled international politics following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles
Hyperinflation - occurs when a country experiences very high and usually accelerating rates of inflation
Francisco Franco - a Spanish general who ruled over Spain as a military dictator from 1939, after the
Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil War, until his death in 1975
New Economic Policy (NEP) - Peasants who had been forced to hand over all their produce to the war
effort - were allowed to keep some to sell for profit - some (the kulaks) became quite rich. Small traders
called Nepmen were allowed to set up businesses. At the same time, local nationalities who had been
forced to follow a strict Communist line were allowed to bring back their own language and customs.
Churches, mosques and bazaars were re-opened.
Duma - elected legislative body that, along with the State Council, constituted the imperial Russian
legislature from 1906 until its dissolution at the time of the March 1917 Revolution
Soviets - political organizations and governmental bodies, primarily associated with the Russian
Revolutions and the history of the Soviet Union, and which gave the name to the latter state
October Manifesto - document issued by the emperor Nicholas II that in effect marked the end of
unlimited autocracy in Russia and ushered in an era of constitutional monarchy.

Concepts to Know:
1) What are the characteristics of totalitarian government?
Rule by a single party, Total control of the military, Total control over means of communication (such as
newspapers, propaganda, etc…), Police control with the use of terror as a control tactic, Control of the
economy
2) What were the political philosophies of and processes used by Adolf Hitler and Benito
Mussolini?
Adolf Hitler - anti-semitism, anti-communism, anti-parliamentarianism, German Lebensraum ("living
space"), belief in the superiority of an "Aryan race" and an extreme form of German nationalism, Nazism
Benito Mussolini - Fascism, realist, focused on achieving political goals. The idea behind Mussolini's
foreign policy was that of spazio vitale (vital space), a concept in Fascism that was analogous to
Lebensraum in German National Socialism
3) Describe difference in ideological philosophy of Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky
Trotskyism, a Marxist ideology based on the theory of permanent revolution
Stalinism is associated with a regime of terror and totalitarian rule; Basic to Stalinism was the doctrine of
“socialism in one country,” which held that, though the socialist goal of world proletarian revolution was
not to be abandoned, a viable classless society could be built within Soviet boundaries and despite
encirclement by a largely capitalist world.
4) What are the overriding characteristics of totalitarian states?
Same as one? single party dictatorship, state control of economy, spies and terror, censorship,
indoctrination, unquestioning obedience
5) What is meant by the lost generation and how did it affect the artistic and literary focus of the
age?
The phrase "Lost Generation," as coined by Gertrude Stein, refers specifically to ex-patriot writers who
left the United States to take part in the literary culture of cities such as Paris and London during the
1920s. This group, including Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, and T. S. Eliot, was skeptical about
out-moded traditional forms of literary and artistic work, but optimistic about the potential of new forms.
Its members were prolific writers and many produced classics.
6) What issues existed in Germany post-World War I which gave way to the rise and popularity of
the Nazi Party?
Many people felt that Germany had received a very harsh deal in the Treaty of Versailles and they
resented the government for signing it and agreeing to its conditions. The Weimar Republic faced violent
uprisings from various groups, not to mention devastating economic problems.People were starving, the
Kaiser had fled and people hated the government for signing the armistice in November 1918 - they
called them the November criminals. Bands of soldiers called Freikorps refused to disband and formed
private armies.
7) What is the Mandate System and how did it differ from the old imperialistic colonial system?
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one
country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally
agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League of Nations. Two governing
principles formed the core of the Mandate System, being non-annexation of the territory and its
administration as a “sacred trust of civilisation” to develop the territory for the benefit of its native people.
8) How did the political structure of Europe change as a result of the post-World War I peace?
New nation break free (Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine), Russian Revolution of 1917,
abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and creation of Weimar Republic in Germany, division of Austria-
Hungary, collapse of Ottoman government, Irish War of Independence
9) What was the League of Nations and why did it prove to be unsuccessful in keeping the world at
peace?
Its primary goals, as stated in its Covenant, included preventing wars through collective security and
disarmament and settling international disputes through negotiation and arbitration. The League failed
because of the absence of great powers (including US), domination of France and England, rise of
dictatorships, limitations of legal methods, loss of faith in the League, constitutional defects, narrow
nationalism, lack of mutual cooperation, separate lines of thought and the Manchurian Crisis.
10) How did Joseph Stalin’s economic plan differ from Vladimir Lenin’s plan?
Vladimir Lenin - New Economic Policy (NEP)
Joseph Stalin - Five Year Plan
11) How did Vladimir Lenin have to adjust Marxist ideology to fit his revolution in Russia?
•Lenin sees it as necessary for there to be "a strong organisation of revolutionaries" to avoid being
infiltrated by the police and accept orders.
• Lenin rejected Marx's theory that the bourgeois would lead to the revolution against the royalty, he
instead believed it was necessary for peasants and workers to lead the revolution against the tsar in order
to skip "many decades" and establish a communist state faster.
• Lenin, like Marx, felt the workers could not achieve true revolutionary consciousness on their own, but
needed a strongly centrally directed party of Marxists to lead them to socialism. Lenin resorted to what he
called "Proletarian dictatorship" to ensure workers got what they deserved. It would lead to a one party
communist state and last a long time until the eventual communist state, arguable because how would we
know if they are acting on behalf of the people.
• Lenin strictly ruled the party, thus theoretically making his will that of the party and his people.
12) What were the inherent weaknesses of the Provisional Government of Russia? What actions did
they take that proved to be their undoing?
1. The Provisional Government had to share power with the Petrograd Soviet. Members of the
Soviet always rejected the Provisional Government.
2. The Provisional Government did nothing to stop the war. In fact, as desertions increased, it
set up death squads to hunt down and execute deserters. The soldiers came to hate the
Provisional Government.
3. The Provisional Government was unable to end the shortages of food and fuel in Petrograd.
This was because it continued the war, which was causing the shortages. The workers came
to hate the Provisional Government.
4. The Provisional Government did nothing to solve the land problem. In the countryside,
peasants started taking over the land of the nobles, many of whom had run away. The
Provisional Government sent soldiers to take the land back by force. The peasants came to
hate the Provisional Government.
5. The Provisional Government did little to deal with its opponents. Even after the Bolsheviks
rebelled in July 1917, it allowed Lenin to preach his popular message of 'all power to the
Soviets'. People came to despise the Provisional Government.

13) How did the world wide Great Depression affect the economic devastation of Germany in the
years between the wars? What impact did this situation play in the rise of totalitarianism and anti-
Semitism?
The Great Depression affected all capitalist economies in the world. American banks immediately
withdrew the loans they had made to Germany. Businesses closed, unemployment rose and inflation was
rampant. German money had so little value, that it might take a wheelbarrow full of notes to buy a few
groceries. Hitler gave the Germans someone to blame: the Jews.
14) What role did the United States play in trying to stabilize European nations, particularly
Germany?
1. By the end of 1923, Germany in danger of economic collapse and a political coup or revolution.
2. The US was concerned that Germany’s failure to pay reparations could adversely affect France’s debt
repayments.
3. The Dawes Plan of 1924 provided economic reform, massive foreign loans and a revised reparations
schedule.
4. Though unpopular with radicals, the Dawes Plan allowed Germany’s economy to recover in the short
term.
5. Germany still struggled to pay reparations, however, which led to a further revision, the Young Plan of
1929.
15) How did Leon Trotsky’s vision of communism differ from Joseph Stalin’s vision?
Leon Trotsky - “Permanent revolution”, concerned about the growth of bureaucracy under the new
Communist government
Joseph Stalin - “Socialism in one country”, a master of bureaucracy, not only accepting it but expertly
manipulating it for his own advancement
16) What was the economic philosophy of John Maynard Keynes? How did it impact the actions of
the United States during the post war period? (ASK RICE ABOUT THIS)
The main plank of Keynes’s theory, which has come to bear his name, is the assertion that aggregate
demand—measured as the sum of spending by households, businesses, and the government—is the most
important driving force in an economy. Keynes further asserted that free markets have no self-balancing
mechanisms that lead to full employment. Keynesian economists justify government intervention through
public policies that aim to achieve full employment and price stability.
17) Which European nation did not benefit from the Keynesian economic plan?
ASK RICE ABOUT THIS
18) What was Woodrow Wilson’s vision for the post-World War I world? Did the former
belligerent nations of Europe share his vision?
Fourteen Points; Many in the country and throughout Western Europe saw Wilson as their savior and
hero; Many opposed Wilson's suggestion to include Germany, but Wilson felt that Germany's input was
essential for the war to truly come to an end. Many others called for a separate convention to create the
League so that a peace treaty could be drafted and signed immediately.
19) What were the issues in Italy which allowed Benito Mussolini to rise to power in Italy? What
was his political ideology (which he founded)?
Italy had been going through a post World War One depression after 1918. Italy was also on the brink of
a socialist takeover which caused mass hysteria among Italians. Even after winning the war against
Germany, Italy felt they were cheated out of the territorial settlements they thought they were promised to
receive; Fascism
20) Identify the opposing sides of the Spanish Civil War. What was each side's objectives? Which
side won?
The Republicans, who were loyal to the democratic, left-leaning and relatively urban Second Spanish
Republic, in an alliance of convenience with the Anarchists, fought against the Nationalists, a Falangist,
Carlist, Catholic, and largely aristocratic conservative group led by General Francisco Franco. The
Republican side fought for the legitimate government of Spain, the Popular Front (a coalition made up of
left wing parties supported by unions and labor movements). The nationalist parties defended the
institution of a totalitarian state. Decisive Nationalist victory.
21) What was War Communism and why was it implemented?
War Communism was the name given to the economic system that existed in Russia from 1918 to 1921.
War Communism was introduced by Lenin to combat the economic problems brought on by the civil war
in Russia. It was a combination of emergency measures and socialist dogma.
22) Why did the Revolution of 1905 break out in Russia? What were the consequences of this
revolution?
Short term causes - defeat in Russo-Japanese war, Bloody Sunday
Long term causes - economic hardship, political opposition
Consequences - Imperial Government victory, Revolutionaries defeated, Nicholas II retains the throne,
October Manifesto, Constitution enacted, Establishment of the State Duma